Smoked Salmon Mousse
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This easy smoked salmon mousse recipe takes only 5 minutes to make and is a sure way to impress your guests. Pipe the tasty mousse onto healthy cucumber rounds, crackers, or put it into a bowl to serve as a dip.
If you love easy party appetizers, also try our garlic butter baked party shrimp, lazy deviled eggs, and chorizo stuffed mushroom caps!
This recipe was originally published back in 2012. We've updated the post with some new photos and some more information, but the recipe remains a favorite.
Salmon Mousse
Salmon mousse is made with cream cheese, smoked salmon lox, a little lemon juice, and some dill. It's a magical combination that is light, fluffy, and totally delicious.
When you pipe it onto cucumber rounds or crackers, it's a pretty appetizer that is guaranteed to impress. It's also delicious served in a bowl surrounded by veggies and crackers as a smoked salmon dip.
How to make this smoked salmon mousse recipe
This recipe is ridiculously easy to make.
- Put the cream cheese, smoked salmon lox, lemon juice, dill, salt, and pepper into your food processor.
- Now blend until the mousse is nice and smooth.
That's it! It's seriously so easy!
Full recipe instructions in the recipe card below.
Can I make salmon mousse ahead of time?
Yes! You can make smoked salmon mousse up to three days in advance. It even tastes better the day after it's made as the flavors have time to meld together. Store it in a covered container or in a pastry bag in your fridge.
If you're pipping it onto crackers, do that right before serving them as crackers go soft in the fridge.
How to serve salmon mousse
This smoked salmon mousse will be a big hit no matter how you serve it. Here are a few ways that we like to use it:
- On cucumber rounds (we love using mini cucumbers for a one-bite appetizer!)
- In cucumber cups ā cut thick slices of English cucumbers then hollow out the middle and pipe in the mousse.
- Pipped onto crackers ā or put a thin cucumber slice on top of a cracker, as you see in the pictures.
- Spread on bread.
- In a bowl with veggies to dip.
- As part of a cheese and charcuterie board.
Variations to try
We love the recipe exactly as written, but it can be fun to switch things up. Here are a few other variations that we like:
- Use canned salmon (drained of any liquid and small bones removed)
- A tablespoon of prepared horseradish for a little zing.
- Add a little wasabi powder or paste for a spicy version
- Use lemon zest for an extra lemony mousse
- Add finely minced red onion or chives
Try these popular appetizer recipes
- Mini Cucumber Smoked Salmon Appetizer Bites with Lemon Dill Cream Cheese
- Shrimp Cakes with Lemon Aioli
- Lazy Deviled Eggs
- Red Wine Chorizo Bites
- Lamb Lollipops with Mint Pesto
Smoked Salmon Mousse Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese (can be light)
- 4 ounces smoked salmon (lox)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice (fresh is best)
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill
- A pinch of salt and pepper
- Optional garnishes: fresh dill, flying fish roe, lemon zest, capers, finely minced red onion, or tiny slice of lemon
Instructions
- Add the cream cheese, smoked salmon, lemon juice, dill, salt, and pepper to your food processor and blend on high until smooth, scraping the sides a few times.8 ounces cream cheese, 4 ounces smoked salmon, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill, A pinch of salt and pepper
- Either transfer the mousse to a bowl if you're using it as a dip or put it into a pastry bag fitted with a star tip to pipe it onto cucumber rounds or crackers. (See notes)
- Top with one or more of the optional garnishes to make it look pretty.Optional garnishes: fresh dill, flying fish roe, lemon zest, capers, finely minced red onion, or tiny slice of lemon
Video
Notes
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
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